Mayor’s Remarks:
1. Today (Feb 24), we hold the second municipal meeting after the Lunar New Year holiday. The Peace Memorial Day long weekend is coming soon. In response, concerned bureaus should put in place response plans and disease prevention measures.
2. The Public Works Bureau has allocated a budget of NTD $320 million for emergency road repairs and for establishing streetlights. The importance of the “Light Up Rural Tainan” initiative will not be diminished simply because there now is less news coverage on relevant issues. The initiative is still on track. We must uphold our promise to the residents of Tainan, and we will most definitely continue to improve the overall lighting in rural areas and ensure that streetlights are properly maintained. I ask concerned bureaus to keep up the good work and accelerate the establishment and increase the number of streetlights and CCTV cameras.
Announcements:
1. the Cultural Affairs Bureau’s report on the outcome of the 2021 Lunar New Year holiday and disease prevention measures (refer to written sources for details)
Decision: Approved for reference filing
Mayor’s Remarks:
(1) Many colleagues had to work during the Lunar New Year holiday, serving the public. This includes police officers, volunteer police officers, volunteer firefighters, members of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, and cleaners. I sincerely thank all of you for your hard work.
(2) During the Lunar New Year holiday, the occupancy rate of hotels and B&Bs in Tainan was likely the highest in the nation. You may recall that COVID-19 outbreaks involving a New Zealand pilot and Taoyuan General Hospital occurred just before the Lunar New Year holiday. Tainan has always seen disease prevention as its top priority; thus, many large events were postponed or canceled, including the Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival, Tainan Historical Capital International Marathon, and Taiwan International Orchid Show. This has affected the tourism industry and cultural promotion in Tainan. I would like to ask concerned bureaus to do the best they can under the circumstances.
(3) I would like to thank the Cultural Affairs Bureau for implementing rigorous venue disinfecting and disease prevention measures, thereby maintaining the income of historical sites will ensuring proper crowd control. Please keep up the good work and continue to market Tainan.
(4) Remodeling for the Former Tainan Prefectural Council, Lutaoyang Jiang Family Settlement, and Japanese dormitories in the various districts will soon be complete, offering new tourist destinations in the future. With the premise of proper disease prevention, I look forward to the promotion of these new attractions.
2. The Bureau of Tourism’s report on tourism statistics of the 2021 Lunar New Year holiday (refer to written sources for details)
Decision: Approved for reference filing
Mayor’s Remarks:
(1) Although COVID-19 has impacted the number of crowd gatherings during this year’s Lunar New Year holiday, Tainan is the least affected city in Taiwan, which is thanks to the excellent work of all bureaus. So far, no disease outbreaks have occurred in Tainan.
(2) The occupancy rate for hotels and B&Bs in Tainan was quite high, which indicates that Tainan is successful in both marketing its tourism and carrying out disease prevention measures. Citizens and tourists alike have given Tainan recognition for its excellent work, proving that Tainan’s decision to prioritize disease prevention above all else was correct. I would like to thank all bureaus for their hard work in maintaining such a great record for Tainan.
(3) The Peace Memorial Day long weekend is around the corner. Concerned bureaus should ensure that accommodation, cultural venues, and attractions are properly managed. Let’s all hope that tourism in Tainan is balanced between all districts.